Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 11, 1995 TAG: 9501110085
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I thought it was a done deal,'' associate athletic director Kim Record said Tuesday. ``Now, I understand it may not be a good deal, but it's a good possibility.''
The Pigskin Classic, held in Anaheim, Calif., for the past five years, lost Disney as a sponsor and has agreed with Michigan officials to hold next year's game Aug.26 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Virginia played in the Kickoff Classic in 1989, losing to Notre Dame 38-13 in East Rutherford, N.J., but it has not played in the Pigskin Classic, one of two preseason games sanctioned by the NCAA.
Michigan has defeated Virginia by a combined score of 94-0 in two meetings, the last a 56-0 rout in Ann Arbor in 1971.
``It was announced at the [national] coaches' clinic this week,'' said Gerry Capone, assistant athletic director for football administration at UVa. ``We were not sure it had been approved or not approved.''
Other teams reportedly under consideration as an opponent for Michigan are - or were - West Virginia, Brigham Young, North Carolina and Duke. The payoff could be as much as $1 million, to be shared with the ACC.
``We'd be in favor of it,'' said Capone, speaking for the football program. ``The only concern would be summer school. It would mean coming in one week earlier [for the start of fall practice].''
Michigan was ranked 12th in the final Associated Press poll after finishing 8-4, including a 24-14 victory over Colorado State in the Holiday Bowl. Virginia (9-3) was ranked 15th, its best finish since the polls went to a post-bowl format in 1965.
Talks between the Pigskin Classic and Virginia started approximately a month ago. The game is operated by the National Association of College Athletic Directors, of which Virginia athletic director Jim Copeland is president-elect.
Copeland will leave Virginia after this week to become the athletic director at Southern Methodist and Craig Littlepage, UVa's interim athletic director, has been responsible for completing the deal.
Laurie Garrison, a spokeswoman for the athletic directors' group, said an announcement was expected as early as the end of this week or the start of next week.
There were few surprises on Virginia's schedule, other than a Thursday night date with Florida State on Nov.2, presumably to be televised by ESPN. It will be preceded by an open date.
The schedule:
Sept. 2, William and Mary; Sept. 9, at North Carolina State; Sept. 16, Georgia Tech; Sept. 23, at Clemson; Sept.30, Wake Forest.
Oct. 7, at North Carolina; Oct. 14, Duke; Oct. 21, at Texas.
Nov. 2, Florida State; Nov. 11, at Maryland; Nov. 18, Virginia Tech.
by CNB